Example embodiments of the present invention relate to generators used in the generation of electricity. In particular, example embodiments relate to AC generators designed to convert rotational kinetic energy into electrical energy.
AC generators are used in many applications, including, for example, power generation by electrical utilities. In addition, AC generators find many smaller scale applications in, e.g., consumer devices, automobiles, etc. Many currently generator designs are, however, not well-suited for uses in these smaller-scale applications. For example, currently designs are often bulky and heavy, using significant quantities of conductive and ferromagnetic metals (which are dense, increasing the overall weight of the generator) as shielding and housing materials. In addition, in order to maintain efficiency in the generation of electricity, such materials are also used in solid, or essentially solid, e.g. laminated, cores, again adding weight and bulk to the generator. Further, these materials are often comparatively expensive, adding to the expense of constructing the generator.